Adobe Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Adobe Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
San Jose, CAInformation15,031 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,132Employer $ per active participant
$21,649Employee $ saved per active participant
0.02%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$5.0BNet plan assets, end of year
$237,787Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity34.5 / 5069th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.3 / 2593th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.9 / 1586th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score78 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 10,000+ active participants (30 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 69th |
| Lower admin cost | 93th |
| Employee saving | 86th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $72,606 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Adobe put in about $6,132 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($5,217). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $92,175,813 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $325,408,183 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $40,700,762 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $719,547 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $567,630 |
| Other admin expenses | $18,700 |
| Benefits paid out | $227,612,459 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $4.1B / $5.0B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 14,863 / 15,199 |
| Participants with account balances | 21,168 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Hood & Strong, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Vanguard Advisers Inc. | $567,630 reported compensation |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $176,397 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | $12,482 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015140643NAL0004775505001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 77-0019522, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
Get notified when Adobe's next filing posts
The most generous employers, the worst red flags, and plain-English 401(k) tips. One email a month.